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The Promises!!! LOL Heck, they've been waiting for you long before you got here! At least... that's what they told me!!!

I've got promises that get fulfilled when I work for them, and other promises that get fulfilled if I ever return to drinking!!!

The drinking promises I don't have to work for... they "just seem to happen automatically and materialize after I'm halfway through a drink!" Except I don't like those promises very much!!!

That's why it's kind of nice that the other ones... materialize as a result of doing what I have to do just to live and survive happily sober! (Notice, that I did mention "happily sober"... I had to come to believe that I could ever be "happily sober!")

hello A-M! welcome to the site. two people! well now its three you want to know when you get the promises??? A-M, i dont know anything about you other then your here, and might have a drinking problem. so what up, you new, back, young, old, a slipper, a sneaker, a loafer, or something new to me??? have you gone thru the steps? as the BB says, after getting up to steps 8 & 9, if we were painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. after about one month in the rooms. after 39 yrs of doing it myway. i was shang-hied in to a outgoing with two cars full of people. the group we went to, on the back of their card, were the "Promises" i red them, and was amazed. yup! i already found a new freedom, and a new happiness. i made it one month without a drink!!! very happy about that! happy, you just bet! as time marched on, being as honest with others, and myself. i learned to love my past. it led me to a new design for living. it also showed me a lesson to be learned from all my thoughts, and actions of my past. the words "Serenity", and "Peace" i worked my ass off the first two years building my foundation to the powerlessness of my addiction. i have found serenity, and peace. its a wonderfull thing, and i want to keep it. my experience has benefited others. i have have given a bit of hope to a few. a bit of strenght to some others. the feelings of uselessness, and self-pity! the boo-hoo's! wha, wha, wha! poor-me, poor-me, poor-me! yea, poor me a drink i am now one of many. i'm a part of, no better, no worse! just equal! ... intrests in selfish things, its not about me anymore ### most of the times #### intrests in others! yup!, im here for the newcomer, or anyone else for that matter. in the rooms, or out there in life. i'm also intrested in myself, and here for myself! i'm sober, just as The Power That Be intended for me. my attitude, and outlook on life HAS changed! i love life as it is given to me. yup!, the good, and the bad. "Fear" fear of people,and economic insecuriety! with the help of the steps, and my faith, trust, and belief in TPTB! even if i get a little nerved up? yup!, i can handle it. afterall, whats the worst that can happen??? i can drink, or drug over it! the bottom line, right? and i dont want that! now heres my favorite. how to handle situations that used to baffle me. i drank, and druged over them before! "Acetptance" is the key for me now! i am powerless over everything! people sometimes dont act, do, or say, as i wish! how about that huh? i accept that now. if things build up ### like the Supremes, on the Ed Sullivan Show #### "STOP" in the name of Love! ... i have the tools now. i can call my sponser, call another alk'y, pray on it, go to a meeting, read, or the best! put my life in the care of The Power That Be! yup, TPTB is getting me thru life, and my self! one day at a time. my Band of Gypsy's in my head are at bay right now. their armed and waiting to come out. come out the moment i let my guard down. thats when i think i'm cured, or start lacking in my program! are these extravagant promises??? we think not! and yes, mine our being fullfulled! mine have materialized! A-M! you know why??? yup, because i work for them! i'm not in the horizontal position, watching Oprah, and eating Bon-Bons so Viva' la' Promises! ............................ i would like to thank HP, and all the friends of Bill W! good wishes to you A-M! ... may God keep you all, and guide you all! ... until then! all my xoxo Rusty, aka Pink Cloud, and that aint no Indian name ps the BB says they come quickly for some, that is true. but why??? could it be the 2 step approach? the cafateria style, the willy-nilly way??? its not for me to judge. i can only share what works for me. i do know one thing. there was sobriety long before AA! A-M, three simple things. a Belief in something other than ourself's ... Honesty, and Freely giving!... as i tried it, i like it! on a daily basis

So you want the promises fullfilled....TODAY !! For me, that wasn't even fast enough at the beginning. I can remember in the first few months I would continually ask my sponsor to remind me what I'm doing this for. The longer I was sober the sadder I became. I couldn't hide behind the bottle anymore and everything in my life seemed to be demanding my attention. I kept being reminded of the promises and was told to just be patient. It will happen.

The big book says you will realize these promises 'half way through'. We are also told to 'practise these steps in all our affairs'. So when are we half way through or are we even ever finished?

All I know is that when I honestly started working the steps (I'm only at step 4 now) I started noticing the difference. I have found a new freedom and a new happiness. I know I have a long way to go but I do have an understanding of humility and serenity now. I do believe these promises will continue to materialize if I work for them.

hey C, how ya ? and right on! ... a funny thing happened this morn. the slipper, ### my old sponsee #### stoped by my painting job. was tell'n him about the post on the promises. he say, that a friend who have a ling time clean. has a lot of $$$ problems. he say when the guy get rich??? i just laughed, and said, it dont get us rich, just let us not drink over it. the ass, " Dont Give Up Til The Mirical Happens " ,and yes it does, when we seek it! by, by, for now, PC

hey A-M, you up with the chickens huh? me too. was down in your neck of the woods a couple weeks ago. Fort Bennings. woe, man, that route 85 full of trees huh? and they all look the same! lo ... nice to hear from ya. kcb xo The Zip